Help me understand benchmarking finds on geocaching.com

So when it says "found it" does that mean someone has found it or that I have found it. I have never searched for one, but I have found a few by stumbling on them and it would be neat to log them. I have found some geocaches that were close to these benchmarks.

Just trying to figure out how the "found" section is populated with a smiley cause we didn't start caching until 2007 but there are smilies back to 2003. So that leads me to believe that "someone" has found it and you can click and read the logs that way...Correct?

it means that someone has found it. in fact, it tells you on the right side of the list of benchmarks (if you do a 'nearest benchmarks' search from a cache page) what the last status of a note/found/destroyed, etc.

I would also recommend looking at the OFFICIAL NGS datasheet as those sheets are a snapshot of the NGS database back in 2003.

I want to make a suggestion for the next ArkGeo MnG or yearly meeting. Can someone who understands how to log a benchmark, have a laptop, able to teach, and have the willingness to teach show those of us who struggle with logging benchmarks how to log them? The few I have tried have always led to a fail. Might be easy but I'm one fry short of a happy meal.

I think a "panel" of knowledgable 4 or 5 people that can do most any geocache thing be assembled for a "how to" open discussion. Could be a fun MnG class. Hint hint. Maybe an hour long? There is a lot out there. The four or five folks wouldn't need to know everything but between the group be able to teach the questions asked.

In response to your question I've put together some pictures as a set of graphic instructions. There may be others that are interested. I have not looked for a benchmark quite some time but remember how to log them. There may be a faster way but this is how I do it.